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Tube Amplifier for Thiel

I recently pick up a pair of Thiel CS3.6. As like many reviews online said, they are awesome speakers. I am using Musical Fidelity A5 int amp (200wpc @4 Ohms, 400wpc @8 Ohms) to drive them. I can't say the A5 is not good, but I kind of feel it not quite musical, crispy, fast... These seem to be the strengths I found in most tube amplifiers I have auditioned before. I am thinking of replacing the A5 with a tube int amp; however, I worry that normal tube int amps are not "powerful" enough to drive the big Thiel (I am a bass lover).

I currently have Prima Luna Dialogue 2, Cayin A-100T/A-70T (and probably VTL IT-85) on my list. I would appreciate if some one could comment on these choices. I also welcome any other tube/SS int amp suggestions (even tube pre/SS power amp) in that price range.

Thank you!
unjc
gregm
3,021 posts
 
I wonder if any "more affordable" tube or SS monoblocks may drive the big Thiel nicely.
Have you considered the Odyssey products? Their monos sounded very nice to me (driving other speakers). Carver mentioned above is another choice. Both are SS, neither is very expensive...
A friend of mine had the 3.6 and we tried a number of amps of all sorts on them (Mark Lev, Krell, you name it). The best sound we got, which was a completely different sound, was with a pair of Symphonic Line shiny mono blocks. It was an unusual sound, very ethereal, lots of high frequency detail and great coherence and, unusually for such a small-medium speaker, very good presentation of a fully blown orchestra. It was surprisingly dynamic as well! Good speaker indeed. (OK, it is actually limited at frequency extremes, but it is not annoying.)
czbbcl's avatar
czbbcl
1,699 posts
 
There was a cj MF2500 (250wpc) on this site for sale a week
or so ago for like 1200.00; no affiliation I used one of
these as well to drive the 3.6's and it did a pretty good
job. You could pick up a used cj tubed pre and get some good
synergies.

Chuck
unsound
6,115 posts
 
What is your budget?
unjc OP
6 posts
 
I want to limit my spending on this between $2k to $2.5k.
gundam91
506 posts
 
Maybe look for some older Classe amps like CA-300/-400?

I had driven mine with a Levinson #333 for a long time, until I blew the caps for the second time. I traded the amp in for a Pass X350.5, and the sound was amazingly good. I was about to change speakers at the time, but it got me to reconsider hard. I eventually sold the speakers because I wanted try something different.

FrankC
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